Sennheiser’s client audio division is perhaps beneath new administration, however that hasn’t held the corporate again from launching new merchandise. The Sennheiser CX and CX Plus have not too long ago been launched in India, they usually each compete with present choices within the mid-range TWS phase from Samsung, OnePlus, and Jabra. As we speak, I am reviewing the costlier and better-equipped of the 2, the Sennheiser CX Plus true wi-fi earphones.
Formally priced at Rs. 14,990 in India (the value on-line is round Rs. 12,990), the Sennheiser CX Plus is a powerful pair of true wi-fi earphones. You get lively noise cancellation, app assist, and options reminiscent of the Qualcomm aptX Adaptive Bluetooth codec, making this a pretty proposition beneath Rs. 15,000. Nevertheless, does the sound high quality stay as much as expectations? Discover out on this evaluate.
The Sennheiser CX Plus is obtainable in black and white in India
The Sennheiser CX Plus is a well-equipped pair of true wi-fi earphones
Sennheiser has been within the private audio enterprise for a very long time, however its true wi-fi vary hasn’t earned a lot acclaim past the Momentum True Wi-fi 2, for my part. With the CX Plus, Sennheiser hopes to make a mark within the far more aggressive mid-range TWS phase, and guarantees a whole lot of options for its asking value of Rs. 12,990.
With a design just like that of the Sennheiser CX400BT (Evaluation), the Sennheiser CX Plus is significantly bigger than competing choices in its value phase, such because the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 (Evaluation) and Jabra Elite 85t (Evaluation). Not solely are the earpieces pretty cumbersome, however the charging case can also be significantly wider.
The earphones can be found in two colors, white and black. Regardless of their measurement, the system seems to be and feels good. The outer elements of the earpieces are shiny, with a Sennheiser emblem and touch-sensitive playback controls on each. The internal sides of the earpieces have the contact factors for charging, and proximity sensors to robotically play or pause music relying on when the earphones are worn or taken off.
I discovered the match of the earpieces to be snug sufficient, regardless of their barely unwieldy form which causes them to stay out of your ears fairly a bit. They stayed in place whereas strolling and climbing stairs, and though the match at all times felt a bit precarious, I did not truly face any conditions when the earpieces may need fallen out. 4 pairs of silicone ear suggestions of various sizes are included within the field, together with a brief USB Kind-A to Kind-C charging cable. The earpieces are IPX4 rated for water resistance.
The charging case of the Sennheiser CX Plus is massive, just like that of the CX400BT, and consequently fairly tough to retailer in a pants pocket together with anything reminiscent of a pockets or smartphone. The USB Kind-C port is on the again, and there may be an LED indicator on the entrance. On the entire, the headset sticks to Sennheiser’s basic type for TWS earphones.
The touch-sensitive controls on the Sennheiser CX Plus true wi-fi earphones are customisable by way of the companion app. It is attainable to regulate playback, quantity, ANC and hear-through modes, and invoke the default voice assistant in your paired smartphone by way of numerous faucet gestures. All these gestures labored reliably, and I fairly loved the convenience with which I might function the earphones while not having to drag out my smartphone.
Other than management customisations, the Sennheiser Good Management companion app (accessible for iOS and Android) permits you to handle paired units, make adjustments to the equaliser, toggle the ANC and hear-through modes, and extra. It is effectively designed, and simple to make use of, protecting just about all the things you will have to do with the earphones.
The earpieces of the Sennheiser CX Plus are a bit cumbersome, and consequently, really feel considerably unwieldy when worn
The Sennheiser CX Plus is powered by 7mm dynamic drivers, and has a frequency response vary of 5-21,000Hz. For connectivity, the headset makes use of Bluetooth 5, with assist for the SBC, AAC, aptX, and aptX Adaptive Bluetooth codecs.
Battery life on the Sennheiser CX Plus is first rate for the value. The earpieces ran for round 5 hours with ANC on and the quantity at reasonable ranges. The case added round two and a half further expenses, for a complete runtime of round 18 hours per cost cycle. That is about what’s anticipated from a TWS headset on this value vary. This efficiency is definitely a bit higher than what I obtained with the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 and roughly on par with what the OnePlus Buds Professional gives.
Excellent audio and ANC efficiency on the Sennheiser CX Plus
For a market value of Rs. 12,990, the Sennheiser CX Plus gives loads together with loads of customisability, good lively noise cancellation, and most significantly, superb sound high quality for the value. Help for the Qualcomm aptX and aptX Adaptive Bluetooth codecs makes for higher sound when paired with a supported system.
The Sennheiser CX Plus is a no-nonsense true wi-fi headset at its core, and that reveals within the sound high quality. Listening to Dwelling On Video (Claptone Remix) by Trans-X was an lively expertise from the get-go, with the earphones’ pure tuning providing loads of assault and drive. There’s a refined bump within the lows which makes for very refined and gratifying bass. The mid-range additionally got here throughout as imposing, whereas the treble felt a bit laidback. I additionally appreciated how the Sennheiser CX Plus was capable of sustain with the quick tempo of this observe with ease.
This cohesiveness and tempo have been additionally evident in different fast, beat-driven tracks reminiscent of Go by The Chemical Brothers and The Nice Divide (Soundprank Remix) by Velvetine. The sound was quick and fascinating, making this type of bass-focused observe an absolute pleasure to hearken to.
Sound high quality and ANC efficiency are superb on the Sennheiser CX Plus
With slower, down-tempo tracks reminiscent of Reverse Methods by Brasstracks, the Sennheiser CX Plus allowed the element within the lows and mid-range to shine by way of. The soulful saxophone riffs blended completely with the hip-hop beats and rap verses. Though the tight and well-tuned bass held my consideration over all the things else, it wasn’t onerous to concentrate on any of the quite a few components of this observe.
This degree of element was notably noticeable when utilizing the Sennheiser CX Plus with an Android smartphone, which allowed it to profit from the Qualcomm aptX Adaptive Bluetooth codec. When utilizing an iPhone, the identical sonic signature and basic really feel have been retained by the earphones, however there was a noticeable distinction within the element of the sound. I used these earphones to hearken to audiobooks too, and whereas the expertise was first rate, the Sennheiser CX Plus is certainly tuned for music above all else.
Lively noise cancellation (ANC) efficiency on the Sennheiser CX Plus was largely on par with what I’ve heard on different true wi-fi earphones priced beneath Rs. 15,000. It is optimised for indoor use, the place it did a good job with decreasing the noise ranges within the typical workplace setting reminiscent of the hum of central air con, and even the low chatter in widespread areas felt noticeably softer.
ANC on these earphones positively made music loads simpler to hearken to, each indoors and outdoor, and had no influence on sound high quality. The hear-through mode on the Sennheiser CX Plus was efficient when wanted, and a helpful choice within the app permits you to select whether or not audio playback ought to proceed or pause when hear-through mode is activated.
Connection stability on the Sennheiser CX Plus was good, with the earphones performing stably at distances of as much as 4m from the supply system. Name high quality was first rate indoors, and acceptable outdoor for brief calls, though my voice sounded barely drowned-out to the individual calling after I was in noisy city areas.
Verdict
Sennheiser has been comparatively quiet within the mid-range true wi-fi phase in India for some time, however the CX Plus marks a powerful return to kind for the established and well-regarded model. These earphones are feature-rich, well-tuned in terms of sound high quality, and well-priced for what’s on supply, making this an excellent choose when you’ve got a funds of round Rs. 15,000. This can be a music-focused headset and is right for anybody searching for refined bass and loads of element within the sound.
The earpieces and charging case of the Sennheiser CX Plus are a bit cumbersome, however that is about it in terms of drawbacks. Respectable ANC and an excellent companion app are helpful bonuses, making this TWS headset amongst my prime picks at its value. Think about the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 when you’ve got a Samsung smartphone, or the OnePlus Buds Professional if you wish to spend a bit much less, however for all different use instances, the Sennheiser CX Plus is the one to get.
